Why I am a Republican

The Authors
Hunt Wasden '18, Staff Writer

Published online
April 19, 2018 2:30pm

I am a Republican because I believe in the freedoms, both economic and social, that were given to us by the founding documents of this great nation. The Constitution begins with “We the People,” and later the First and Fourth Amendments solidify the sovereignty of the American Citizen. These documents may be old, but their relevance today is still resounding.

The role of the government should be to protect the people from foreign and domestic threats, while also preserving the individual rights and freedoms of its people, not regulating or infringing upon those rights and freedoms. One of the main reasons I identify as a Republican is my strong belief that the work of private citizens, not the government, is the foundation of the American economy. Businesses made by the people for the people not only contribute positively to the nation’s overall GDP but also supply Americans with jobs. The truth is, a government that is nineteen trillion dollars in debt should not be dictating how private citizens choose to run their businesses. Due to President Trump’s aggressive deregulation and tax policies, our economy is growing at an impressive rate, with the labor department reporting in late March that the jobless rate in America has fallen to the lowest rate since 1973. In addition, the unemployment rate is now at 4.1%, which is below the level the Federal Reserve considers ideal for a stable and growing economy.

As a Republican I also believe in a tax system that supports businesses, and gives them the means to compete in a global market and also to reinvest not only in the company itself, but also in its employees. President Trump’s tax reforms have enabled businesses, from the largest corporations to family-owned small businesses, to give significant bonuses to their employees at all levels, directly citing the new tax plan as the reason why.

Republican policies are making an undeniable impact in the lives of the working class, as many people are now coming to the realization that a hand up is almost always more beneficial than a hand out.

Republican policies are also making an impact abroad. President Trump and Secretary Mattis’ strong opposition to ISIS has led to a 98% loss in territory held by the terrorist organization. The President also showed strength in garnering multinational support in his strong response to chemical attacks from the Assad regime in Syria.

Abraham Lincoln, the first Republican president, wrote the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, an order to free all slaves. Later, in 1865, the Republican-controlled 38th Congress passed the 13th Amendment abolishing slavery. The creation of the Fourteenth Amendment, granting citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the United States, passed soon after, despite opposition from Democrats.

Ronald Reagan once described the difference between Republicans and Democrats as “Two visions of the future, two fundamentally different ways of governing—their government of pessimism, fear, and limits, or ours of hope, confidence, and growth. Their government sees people only as members of groups. Ours serves all the people of America as individuals.” The inspiring track record of the Republican Party follows suit with this philosophy, and this track record is another main reason why I am a Republican.

While figures like Abraham Lincoln and Ronald Reagan may come to mind when thinking about the Republican Party, powerful women in the party have changed the course of history as well. Republican Senator Aaron A. Sargent introduced the Nineteenth Amendment which was written by Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Stanton, who worked closely with Republicans to further women’s rights in America. Republican Jeannette Rankin was the first woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives and Margaret Chase Smith was the first woman to serve in both the Senate and the House. In 1981 Ronald Reagan appointed Sandra Day O’Connor as the first woman on the U.S. Supreme Court. Also, George W. Bush selected Condoleezza Rice to be his Secretary of State. She was the first African American woman to hold this position.

Republicans also had a great impact on the Civil Rights movement in our country. In 1954 Chief Justice Earl Warren, a former Republican governor, wrote the majority opinion of Brown vs. Board of Education. The Republican-controlled 68th Congress and President Calvin Coolidge granted citizenship to Native Americans. In 1957 Dwight Eisenhower desegregated Little Rock’s government schools over the resistance of Arkansas’ Democrat governor. Eisenhower also signed the 1960 Civil Rights Act after a filibuster by Democrats. Further, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed when Republican Everett Dirksen defeated yet another Democrat filibuster.

The Republican Party has been the Party for all people since its creation. Both what the party has done in the past, and what it continues to do today inspires me, and makes me proud to be part of such an important movement. At the end of the day, the principles of economic and individual freedoms defended by the Republican Party have led so many people in America to truly live the American Dream, and will continue to do so for generations to come. AND THAT IS NOT FAKE NEWS.